Indian production company Soul Sutra will announce plans to develop and produce 12 Gujarati films at the Cannes Film Market this week.
The banner is helmed by Indian National Film Award-winning actor-producer Manasi Parekh and singer-producer Parthiv Gohil, who co-produced “Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahayate”, an Ankit Sakiya-directed devotional drama that crossed the 100-crore ($11.7 million) mark worldwide with a production budget of just 50 rupees, making it the highest-grossing Gujarati film of all time. $100,000 ($58,000).
The push at the Cannes film market marks the next chapter for the banner, which has had five Gujarati features so far. The most anticipated upcoming project is ‘Jamkudi 2’, a sequel to the company’s earlier horror entertainer, which is envisioned as a commercially elevated spectacle aimed at a wider theatrical audience. Also in the pipeline are “Tofani Barkas,” a large-scale fantasy adventure for children with an emphasis on VFX, and “Laxman,” a drama set in rural Gujarat about a boy who uses his bond with animals to create a movement to protect them.
“Gujarati cinema has evolved significantly over the last few years and we believe that regional stories have the potential to connect with audiences around the world. After ‘Raalo’, the idea was to expand our production footprint and actively explore global partnerships,” Parekh said.
“Lalo” is co-produced by Soul Sutra and Manifest Films.
Alongside its production activities, the company is also building out its recently launched distribution arm, which has a catalog of over 35 Gujarati titles, including recent releases and films with potential for remakes and international distribution.
“The goal is to build a long-term global ecosystem for Indian regional content,” Parekh added. “There is growing international interest in authentic Indian regional storytelling and we believe there is a huge opportunity to expand that market.”
